Israeli nuclear whistleblower freedAshkelon (Israel), April 21
Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was freed today after serving an 18-year prison term for revealing secrets that exposed Israel as one of the world’s top atomic powers.

Key reshuffle in Pak Army later this yearIslamabad, April 21The Pakistan Army will get two new four-star generals and five lieutenant-generals in the last quarter of the year, entailing dozens of promotions and fresh postings and transfers of officers on various dates.
“This is regardless of whether or not President Pervez Musharraf steps
down as the army chief by December 31,” The News reported yesterday.

Window on Pakistan
Democracy may elude IslamabadWhat is a general without a uniform and what is a President in a uniform ? These questions bother not only the politicians and the general himself, but the media too.

IMF warns India to cut fiscal deficitWashington, April 21The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) today said that fiscal deficit needed to be reined in for India to sustain the present high growth as it would put upward pressure on interest rates.

Indian to testify in missile plotNewyark, New Jersey, April 21
An Indian caught in a U.S. Government’s sting operation yesterday agreed to testify against a suspected British arms dealer charged with trying to smuggle shoulder-fired missiles capable of downing airliners into the USA.

Iraqi tribunal to try Saddam set upBaghdad, April 21Iraqi leaders have set up a tribunal of judges and prosecutors to try Saddam Hussein and other members of his Baathist regime, a spokesman has announced.

Iran arrests 2 atomic expertsTeheran, April 21
Iran has arrested two atomic experts for passing nuclear secrets to foreigners in what could be the first such arrests inside Iran’s disputed nuclear industry, a newspaper reported today.
Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are limited to generating electricity while Washington accuses it of pursuing a covert programme to build atomic arms.
— Reuters

Air-India trial to be moved to secret locationVancouver, April 21
Owing to security concerns, the Air-India trial will move next week to an undisclosed warehouse where the wreckage of the ill-fated plane, destroyed in the 1985 bombing that killed all 329 persons on board, is being reconstructed.

Ashkelon (Israel), April 21
Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was freed today after serving an 18-year prison term for revealing secrets that exposed Israel as one of the world’s top atomic powers.

Waving and flashing V-for-victory signs as he walked through the gates of Ashkelon’s Shikma prison, Vanunu stood defiantly before a bank of television cameras and proclaimed: ‘’I am proud and happy to do what I did.”

The 49-year-old former nuclear technician was greeted by throngs of cheering supporters who hailed him as a “peace hero” while a similar number of counter-demonstrators branded him a traitor.

Vanunu said he had suffered “cruel and barbaric treatment” at the hands of Israel’s security services but insisted he had no more state secrets to divulge.

Fearing Vanunu could reveal more classified information, the government put him under close police surveillance and slapped restrictions on his movements, including a one-year ban on travel abroad.

“Israel doesn’t need nuclear arms, especially now that the Middle East is free from nuclear arms. My message today to all the world is open the Dimona reactor for inspections,” he said in remarks broadcast live on state television.

Vanunu leaked pictures and details of the top-secret Dimona nuclear reactor where he had worked to Britain’s ‘Sunday Times’ newspaper in 1986, leading independent experts to conclude that Israel had amassed from 100 to 200 nuclear warheads.

His disclosures parted the veil on Israel’s official policy of “strategic ambiguity’’ about its nuclear programme and its cryptic pledge that it would not be the first to introduce atomic weapons to the Middle East.

A blonde, female agent of Israel’s Mossad spy agency lured Vanunu from London to Rome, where he was abducted and brought home. He was convicted of treason in a closed-door trial and sentenced to 18 years in prison, much of it spent in solitary confinement.
— Reuters

Islamabad, April 21
The Pakistan Army will get two new four-star generals and five lieutenant-generals in the last quarter of the year, entailing dozens of promotions and fresh postings and transfers of officers on various dates.

“This is regardless of whether or not President Pervez Musharraf steps down as the army chief by December 31,” The News reported yesterday.

General Muhammad Aziz Khan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and General Muhammad Yusuf Khan, the army vice-chief, would complete their tenures on October 7 and Musharraf would have to select their successors by then.

“The Pakistan Army has 18 lieutenant-generals and it was not immediately clear who out of them would succeed the retiring generals. There is also a question of Musharraf’s successor, but he has yet to indicate who this might be,” it said.

“Also between now and December, four other lieutenant-generals will retire. Hence there will be appointments of a few new corps commanders and principal staff officers at the general headquarters. Down the ladder, several new division and brigade commanders will be replaced with newly promoted officers,” The News said. Besides the two four-star generals, four lieutenant-generals were also retiring. They were Lieut-Gen Javed Hasan, corps commander of Gujranwala, Lieut-Gen Munir Hafiez, chairman of the National Accountability Bureau, Lieut-Gen Ahsan Salim Hayat, corps commander of Karachi, and Lieut-Gen. Tariq Wasim Ghazi, Commandant of the National Defence College.

“Since Musharraf does not consider seniority as the only criterion for appointment as a four-star general, it is difficult to predict who amongst the present 18 lieutenant-generals will become his choice,” The News said.

“Transition is usually very smooth in the army, but the one we will be witnessing later this year, will be large and meaningful,” it quoted a senior officer as saying.

“This will set Musharraf’s military agenda for the next three years at least,” the officer added — an indication that regardless of whether or not he sheds his uniform, Musharraf would continue with his iron grip over the forces.

The promotions will rank high on the agenda of the five-day formation commanders’ conference beginning here on Monday. The first three days have been set aside for discussing promotions and the remaining for deliberations and presentations.

“The war against religious extremism, professional military matters, peace process with India and progress of democracy in the country will dominate the two days of discussions and briefings,” The News said.

“It will be too early for Musharraf to announce a final determination during the conference, but his expressions may drop a hint,” it added.
— IANS

What is a general without a uniform and what is a President in a uniform ? These questions bother not only the politicians and the general himself, but the media too. One could mark the nervousness on the face of Gen Pervez Musharraf when during the
Hardtalk, the BBC correspondent referred to the proposal to which the President himself had agreed that he would shed his uniform by the end of the year. This would mean Musharraf would no longer be the army chief, but only a titular head of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He believes that the army is the only well organised institution and has some kind of inherent right. So what is a President without a uniform?

Farhan Bukhari, a contributing editor of The News and Jang writes: “The Pakistani military’s permanent role in the country’s politics is a fact of life following the passage of the bill for a new National Security Council (NSC) in the otherwise establishment dominated Parliament. But just after the commemoration of 25 years since Zulfkar Ali Bhutto, the late prime minister, was sent to the gallows under the rule of a previous military dictatorship, the idea of further deepening the military’s role in politics, provides little assurance for the future of democracy. Indeed, rather than working as a buffer against future military interventions, the NSC on the contrary would permanently institutionalise a role for the generals and only confirm their influence in key national decisions, with or without the pretence of democracy hanging over Pakistan.”

Bukhari sees clear defeat for those who were seeking a clear civilian democratic regime in Pakistan and termed it as dangerous. He wrote, “Ultimately, politicians against politicians with an active military waiting in the wings to seize power, must be recognised as an unpardonable sin for the conduct of Pakistani politics… Pakistan’s ability to become a progressive democracy, giving representation to all parts of the country, must remain in question as long as the parliamentary structure remains inherently weak and at the danger of interventions from time to time.”

“The challenge for Pakistan must have more to do with bringing divergent political and ethnic groups under a national umbrella rather than a centrally driven and close control of the country, done through a new and unprecedented national political consensus,” he wrote.

Masud Akhtar Shaikh, a columnist in The News found the politicians who agreed to have the NSC and thereby giving control of the country’s politics to the army on permanent basis, a strange pack. He wrote, “It has now been proved beyond any shadow of doubt that democracy is not the sort of thing that suits the temper and taste of the Pakistani politicians. Our western well-wishers may go on pressing the rulers of Pakistan to let the people have a taste of democracy, but they can rest assured that their wishes are never going to bear fruit on the Pakistani soil. They should now reconcile themselves with the fact that the people of Pakistan are destined to be ruled forever by people in uniform, operating under the umbrella of a National Security Council and the help of a dummy elected
parliament.”

Ayaz Amir in his usual gusty style poked fun at the rulers when he wrote in Dawn, “Bangladesh, our offspring, the child of Pakistani folly, has managed to move from outright militarism to a form of democracy, Khalida Zia and Hasina Wajid alternating in power through the mediation of the ballot box. Bangladesh may have other sorrows but at least in this instance it has moved ahead of us. We remain stuck with Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s legacy, unable to break the gridlock of military domination.”

Amir hoped, “For now this gridlock is only strengthened by our American connection. The Bush White House has forged a powerful relationship with Gen Musharraf personally. Each needs the other but for different reasons. The Pakistan army is doing important service for the Americans on the Afghan border while support from the Bush administration bolsters Musharraf’s standing and self-confidence.” A change in regime in the US could perhaps help, he hoped.

Washington, April 21
The International Monetary Fund
(IMF) today said that fiscal deficit needed to be reined in for India to sustain the present high growth as it would put upward pressure on interest rates.

“Further progress in addressing India’s fiscal imbalances is urgent because recovery will increase the private sector demand for financing, putting upward pressure on interest rates,” the IMF said in its semi-annual World Economic Outlook.

Observing that the way forward to correct the imbalance was spelt out in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, it said there was a need to balance the current budget by one per cent of GDP.

“Given India’s low revenue to GDP ratio, the bulk of the adjustment will need to come from revenue-enhancing measures, including improving tax administration, broadening the tax base and simplifying the tax regime,” it said.

The report highlighted the plus points of the Indian economy, which had accelerated, reflecting both cyclical and structural factors.

The structural factors included the lagged impact of the economic liberalisation during the 1990s on manufacturing, the recent further opening up of the external sector, the effect of investment in infrastructure (especially road and telecom), the recent corporate restructuring and the impact of global outsourcing of customer support services on exports.

The cyclical factors comprised the effect of good monsoon on agricultural production and the impact of low interest rates on consumer and real estate credit, it said. — PTI

Newyark, New Jersey, April 21
An Indian caught in a U.S. Government’s sting operation yesterday agreed to testify against a suspected British arms dealer charged with trying to smuggle shoulder-fired missiles capable of downing airliners into the USA.

Moinuddeen Ahmed Hameed, 40, an Indian citizen residing in Malaysia, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Hameed agreed to testify against Hemant Lakhani, a British citizen who allegedly agreed to deliver a missile to U.S. agents posing as buyers. He allegedly obtained the missile from Russian agents posing as sellers. Prosecutors said Lakhani began arranging to smuggle 50 more shoulder-fired missiles into the USA soon after securing one of the weapons.

According to court documents filed shortly after his arrest last summer, Lakhani, in dealing with an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a Muslim terrorist, was recorded as saying Osama bin Laden “did a good thing” and “straightened them all out.”
— AP

Baghdad, April 21
Iraqi leaders have set up a tribunal of judges and prosecutors to try Saddam Hussein and other members of his Baathist regime, a spokesman has announced.

Salem Chalabi, a US-educated lawyer and nephew of the head of the Iraqi National Congress, was named as general director of the tribunal, and he has named a panel of seven judges and four prosecutors, INC spokesman Entefadh Qanbar said yesterday.

The tribunal, with a 2004-2005 budget of USD 75 million, will also prosecute any members of Saddam’s regime who are charged, Qanbar said.

Vancouver, April 21
Owing to security concerns, the Air-India trial will move next week to an undisclosed warehouse where the wreckage of the ill-fated plane, destroyed in the 1985 bombing that killed all 329 persons on board, is being reconstructed.

Only the judge, lawyers and witnesses will travel to the secret location where they will see the reconstruction of the plane, according to a report by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The accused — Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik—along with the public and the press, will not be allowed inside. Instead, they will see the proceedings via a close-circuit television.

Crown spokesman Geoff Paul said: “The images that will be on the screen will be the evidence and the witnesses, as they’re describing the evidence”.

Mr Paul said that Royal Canadian Mounted Police had been reconstructing the plane for more than a year and a half from the recovered debris.

He said it was a “limited reconstruction” and would form part of the prosecution.— PTI

BRIEFLY

USA Today Editor retires
NEW YORK: The editor of USA Today, the country’s largest-selling newspaper, retired suddenly amid a scandal over fabrications and deceptions by Jack Kelley, one of the paper’s star reporters. Karen Jurgensen, 55, had been the paper’s editor since 1999. Her departure on Tuesday came on the heels of a comprehensive report on the Kelley fiasco compiled by three veteran newspaper editors.
— AP

Rockets hit
town in Pak
QUETTA: Five rockets slammed into an empty field in a remote town in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, but no casualties or damage were reported, police said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Kohlu, a town about 300 km west of Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province, a local police officer said.
— AP

Warrant issued against Menem
BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine judge on Tuesday issued an international arrest warrant for former president Carlos Menem after he failed to appear in court in an ongoing corruption probe, a court source said. Judge Jorge Urso requested the detention of Menem, 73, through Interpol and the next step would be for a Chilean judge to act in the case.
— AFP

Sharon’s son destroyed tapes
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s son told a court on Tuesday that he had discarded tapes wanted by prosecutors in a case of alleged bribery that threatens to topple the Israeli leader, his lawyer said. Israel’s attorney general is expected to decide in a few weeks whether to follow the chief prosecutor’s recommendation to indict the prime minister. An indictment could force Sharon from office and end his US-backed plan to evacuate the Gaza Strip.
— Reuters

6 dead in building collapse
ISLAMABAD: At least six persons were killed and 15 injured on Wednesday when a three-storeyed building was destroyed by an explosion in Rawalpindi, police officials said. “Six deaths have been confirmed so far,” local police chief Iftikhar Ahmed told AFP. Rescue workers were trying to pull out at least two persons still trapped under the rubble.
— AFP

2 die as jets collide
Hamburg: Two German military planes collided and crashed on Wednesday in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, the police said. Two of the total four persons aboard the Tornado fighter jets managed to parachute to safety, but two others were killed, the police told n-tv television.
— AP